External medical devices such as those being used for trial stimulation periods include a cable extending from the medical device to an area that is external to the body of a patient and nearby the site of implantation of a medical stimulation lead. The cable includes a cable connector on a distal end. This cable connector includes an electrical receptacle that receives an electrical conductor such as a pin present on the proximal end of the medical stimulation lead. The proximal end of the medical stimulation lead is also present in the area nearby the site of implantation.
The medical stimulation lead has a distal end present within the body at the stimulation site where an electrode provides the stimulation from the medical device. The electrode is connected to the electrical conductor pin present on the proximal end by including an intermediate conductor that is surrounded by an insulator forming a lead body. The lead body and intermediate conductor are flexible which allows the medical stimulation lead to be routed to the stimulation site during implant and allows the lead to flex during movement by the patient.
When completing the installation of the medical device, the clinician must insert the electrical conductor pin of the medical stimulation lead into the cable connector. The electrical conductor pin is typically more rigid than the intermediate conductor and lead body, so the clinician may grasp the electrical conductor pin to perform the insertion. However, most or all of the electrical conductor pin will be inserted into the housing of the cable connector. Therefore, once some portion of the electrical conductor pin has been inserted, the clinician becomes unable to grasp the lesser amount of the electrical conductor pin that remains outside of the cable connector. Grasping the lead body near the proximal end of the medical stimulation lead provides little help in completing the insertion of the medical stimulation lead due to the flexible nature of the lead body and intermediate conductor. Therefore, the clinician may struggle to complete the insertion of the electrical conductor pin and may resort to uncomfortable and potentially harmful techniques by using a fingernail to press against the distal end of the electrical conductor pin and/or a tool to grasp the distal end, which may cause damage to the lead.